This is the second time I've had a similar experience with this company, and unfortunately, it has left me questioning the professionalism of their hiring process.
On both occasions, recruiters reached out to me directly via LinkedIn regarding Data Engineering opportunities. From the very first conversation, I clearly stated that I would need to serve a 3-month notice period. Both recruiters confirmed that this would not be a problem and encouraged me to proceed.
During the first hiring process, I attended a technical vetting round with a Senior Associate Business Engineering representative. Instead of evaluating engineering fundamentals, architecture decisions, problem-solving ability, or real-world experience, the discussion felt heavily focused on hearing specific keywords and phrases. It genuinely felt as if the interviewer was validating answers against an AI-generated checklist rather than having a meaningful technical conversation.
Having worked in software and data engineering for 8 years, it was one of the most frustrating interview experiences I've encountered.
Several months later, the company reached out to me again for another Data Engineering role. I agreed to proceed, completed the initial discussions, and received confirmation for the next interview round.
Then, just one hour before the scheduled interview, I received an email stating that the role was no longer open.
One hour.
By that point, I had already prepared, blocked my calendar, and invested my time. If a role is uncertain, frozen, or awaiting approval, that should be communicated before candidates are moved through the process.
What I find most concerning is that this happened twice. When recruiters actively reach out to candidates, acknowledge known constraints such as a 3-month notice period, and move them through interview stages, there should be a reasonable level of commitment and internal alignment.
Companies with strong employer brands should hold themselves to higher standards when it comes to candidate experience, communication, and respect for people's time.
Based on my experience, many of the reviews discussing recruitment and hiring process concerns appear to have some truth behind them.
I hope future candidates have a better experience than I did.